Rail-joint.



PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

W. L. MOKNIGHT.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATIION FILED APR.10.1906.

y A 7 m 1 I WmLJlcIwZ/zi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed April 10, 1906. Serial No. 310.969-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. MOKNIGHT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at West Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in rail-joints, and particularly to a combined rail-chair and nut-lock, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient construction of chair and means for firmly and securely supporting and tying the rails and locking the nuts of the securing-bolts against retrograde rotation and possible loosening or displacement from the connecting-bolts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail-joint embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the meeting ends of rails of ordinary form, upon the opposite sides of which are arranged fish-plates 3 and 4, arranged in the usual manner, said plates being provided with base-flanges 6 and 7, respectively, which rest upon and conform in contour and width with the oppositely-extending flanges of the,

foot of the rail, the edges of the flanges 6 and 7 and base-flanges of the rail being formed with sets of registering spike receiving notches 8 and 9.

The chair comprises a base-plate 10, which rests directly upon the tie and is of greater length than the width of the base of the rail, said plate being formed at its inner end with openings 11 for the passage of spikes 12 to secure the same to the tie. The spikes 12 also pass through the notches 9, and the heads thereof engage the flange 7 of the fishplate 4:, thus firmly fastening the parts to the tie on the inner sides of the rail. Bolts 13 extend through openings in the fish-plates and web of the rail and are provided with securing-nuts to hold these parts in assembled 're lation.

At its outer end the plate 10 is formed with an upwardly and inwardly extending bracing Wing or extension 15, shaped to form an intervening space for the reception of the flange 6 and underlying portion of the foot of the rail and to bear against the upper surface of said flange 6 and outer face of the lower portion of the fish-plate 3. The said extension 15 terminates in a horizontal shoulder 16, adapted to engage the lower sides or faces of the nuts 14 to hold the latter against movement. Slots 17 are formed in the chair at the point of intersection of the plate 10 and extension 15 for the reception of spikes 18, which also engage the notches 8 and secure the chair, outer fish-plate, and outer portion of the foot of the rail to the tie.

After the rails and fish-plates have been united by the bolts and the nuts adjusted to clamping position, the chair is applied and the shoulder 16 brought beneath the lower sides of the nuts and the spikes driven through the notches and into the tie to fasten the parts in position thereon. The rails will then be firmly and securely supported and united and the nuts held against retrograde rotation. Upon removing the spikes and withdrawing the chair the nuts may be removed for the disconnection of the rails and fish-plates when occasion requires; It will thus be seen that a simple and inexpensive construction of chair and nut lock is provided and one that will readily admit of the disconnection of the parts of the fastening in equipping a road with new ties or rails.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In a rail-joint, the combination of rails, fish-plates arranged on opposite sides of the rails and having base-flanges resting on the base-flanges of the rails, said flanges being provided with registering notches, bolts extending through the fish-plates and webs of the rail and provided with securing-nuts, a chair comprising a base extending beneath the rails and having at one side an extension projecting over upon the adjacent fish-plate and having a flat upper face engaging the nuts to lock them against retrograde rotation, the chair having openings at the inner end thereof and through the unction portion of the same and. extension, and spikes passing through said openings and engaging the registering notches in the fish-plates and base-flanges of the rails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. MOKNIGHT.

Witnesses:

H. C. ROBERTSON, GEo. B. GILLIsPIE. 

